By Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Council has appealed to government for early disbursement of devolution funds for the continuation of the critical 12-year-old Mucheke Trunk Sewer project.
Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe told TellZim News that the project which is said to be 78 percent complete relied on funding from government and is waiting for disbursement for the completion of the remaining 1.8km.
“We have been appealing to government for the release of devolution funds, the Mucheke Trunk Sewer project has been funded by devolution allocations money so we are pleading with government to disburse this year’s allocation so that we finish the project.
“The city is growing but there is no progress as it stands and there have been outcries over sewer bursts with Victoria Range also in consideration. We are still on the same place and have not done anything as we have not received any funds from government,” said Tabe.
Tabe becomes the third Mayor to inherit the critical project after Hubert Fidze and Collen Maboke.
Residents have raised concerns over continued delay of completion of the project and called upon council to take action and complete the infrastructure.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) board Chairperson Thomas Mbetu said the delay was disheartening.
“The lack of tangible progress on the construction of this project is extremely concerning to our community, we were promised that this project would be finished within the shortest possible time, but it has now stalled for years.
“It is disheartening to hear that council is still waiting for devolution funds to resume work on the Mucheke Trunk Sewer. Residents have been paying their dues, and we expect the project to be completed without further delay.
“The community is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress, and MURRA is urging council to provide a clear timeline and plan for the project’s completion. Residents have been patient for far too long. We demand that council fulfill its responsibility and deliver this essential service to the people of Masvingo,” said Mbetu.
The city is said to have advertised a tender to upgrade the Mucheke Trunk Sewer to link it with a sewerage plant in Eastvale back then in 2012 and extend to the new suburbs in Victoria Ranch where residents are using Blair toilets.
Masvingo City chose Harare-based Mutual Construction (Pvt) Ltd and acquired a US$2.1 Million loan from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and the project development began. Council is said to have borrowed another US$1.7 million and US$900 000 from the same organization.
However, the company is said to have removed all its equipment from the project site except for asbestos pipes that had been purchased from Turnall Holdings. The following year, council is alleged to have put a notice intending to borrow a further US$1.7 million for continuation of the project with barely a quarter of the project completed.
In 2022 the project was derailed after then Minister of Local Government and Public Works compelled all local authorities to channel devolution funds toward purchasing fire tenders from Belarus. Masvingo City was classified as a metropolitan local authority and got three fire tenders to the tune of US$464 296.
